EPISODE 180: The Power of One!

"What have I done!?" I knelt down with sorrow realizing that I pushed my buddy away. We won countless matches without him evolving. I guess Riolu's frequent hesitation to evolve bothered and triggered me a lot. Riolu has a point, I'm the trainer, my purpose is to train and call out moves to my Pokemon. If only, I didn't infuriate... things would be better.

"Kalem, you shouldn't-"

"I know my mistake!" I interrupted Glade's statement ferociously while regretting every word I've uttered.

"You were made when Riolu didn't evolve. This is the reason why the Tsunagu didn't activate. You could've won if you it wasn't for your heart which cut off you and Riolu's connection." Camellia uttered softly while trying to reassure me.

"All this time, I thought... our bond was unbreakable. All this time, I thought... nothing could've cut the line, but, I guess I was wrong. What's worse? It is my fault for cutting the line.

Riolu is right. I act like Krill, a trainer who wants their Pokemon to evolve. If only, I noticed the reason behind all of this right from the start, this wouldn't happen." Tears spurted like a drizzle falling on me, I held my hands tightly on the snow while regretting every word.

"Kalem, you're different! I've been traveling with you for almost 5 months. There is a big difference between you and Krill. You may not see it, but I can see it, Glade can see it, and even your cousin can.

You are a determined trainer, you're not like any person I've met before. You rise up when you fall, you stand for both sides, people and Pokemon alike, you may give up at times, but at the end of the day? You stand up, move forward, and try again.

Everybody makes a wrong turn once in a while, you told me that back in the cavern. You made a wrong turn, and you can go back to the right path. It is not over yet Kalem, because I know that you won't give up on Riolu." Camellia uttered with conviction and encouragement.

"Camellia is right cousin. You are a determined trainer, although you may walk to the wrong path sometimes, you always find your way out. Find your way out from this one, and bring Riolu back." Kira added.

"A strong bond flows between you and Riolu's veins. It was interrupted by anger and resentment, but you could bring back that flow through forgiveness and mercy. Talk things out, it is your only option after all.

If Riolu doesn't want to evolve, then don't force him. He looks up to you, because you're the only person he trusts. Pokemons are just like humans, they have feelings, they experience joy and sadness.

Now get up and find Riolu! Prove to him, that no matter what, you'll trust him. Restore the flow, and the Tsunagu will work once more." Glade inspired and added.

"Thank you everyone... All of you are right. Riolu is my buddy, I can't let him go away. No matter where he goes, I'll always be with him!" I dabbed my tears away and stood up from the frost that nature bears.

"That's the spirit! Now go out there and search for Riolu. We'll not help out, so that you and Riolu could have some alone time." Kira giggled and beamed with elation.

With my eyes set on Riolu, I scurried to the frosty woods of this route in hopes to undo my mistake. My friends are right, and I am glad that I've met them. They help me through my toughest trials, they inspire me to rise and stand against any problem or dilemma. I'm sure that is what my mother and father wanted me to do.

"I shouldn't have left Kalem... Maybe he was correct after all." Riolu's voice trembled while the cold and harsh wind blew and pushed his body back. Riolu shivered because of the coldness. He ought to seek shelter and assistance.

"Riolu! Riolu! Please come back." My voice echoed on the other side of the forest. No matter how harsh the weather was, I never gave up until I've found my buddy.

Luckily for Riolu, he was able to find a small cave. With his experiences, he was able to create a campfire that kept him warm and shimmer. Riolu dazed at the fire's ever satisfying heat while waiting form the frosty storm to calm down.

<Nido... Nido...>Nidorans and other wild Pokemon rushed to Riolu's cave to seek shelter against the hail.

"There! There's a cave." A young boy carrying his Pokemon saw the fire's flame. He rushed inside with his Pokemon to seek warmth and shelter as well.

Riolu and the other wild Pokemons didn't mind the trainer coming in. In times like this, there is no enemy, only allies whom we can trust. Everybody needs to seek shelter, may it be people or Pokemon.

"Are you alright Larvitar? Wait here, I'll grab my potion from my bag." The trainer placed his injured Pokemon on the ground while scrambling his things.

"Are you alright Riolu? Wait here, I'll grab my potion from my bag." Riolu's memory came rushing back to him after watching the trainer heal his Pokemon. He remembered the times I was there to help him during defeat and problems.

The trainer healed his Pokemon back to full health. Riolu was mesmerized, he thought of me while watching the trainer.

"Larvitar, here, have a berry." The young trainer offered.

"Riolu, here, have a berry." Slowly, tears fell down like a drizzle from Riolu's eyes. He remembered every moment we spent together, during hardships and trials. Riolu remembered my voice, a voice which he missed.

"Hi there, you have a trainer don't you?" The trainer smiled and questioned at Riolu.

<Rio...>Riolu nodded his head.

"It's obvious. Your pendant is a symbol of ownership. Where's your trainer? Are you abandoned or something?" The trainer questioned.

<Ri... Riolu, Riolu!>Riolu beamed with sorrows and gushed out of the cave. His teardrops turned into ice after being absorbed to the ground.

"Hey wait! You'll catch a fever if you go out." The trainer warned but Riolu didn't listen. Riolu searched for me, no matter how tough the hail was. Nothing could stop us from being together, not even the toughest storm.

"R... Riolu, please, forgive me." I uttered with a soft and trembling voice. My body was about to give up to the frosty aura. The hail was getting stronger by every minute which passed.

"Kalem! Kalem! I'm sorry, please, I didn't mean to leave you." Riolu searched on the other side. His tears continued to flow while his body trembled in chilliness.

Through the eye we walked, yearning for each other. Each tear which dropped, is another hope waisted. The haze and snow got thicker, seeing each other was a minimal opportunity.

"R... Riolu, I know you can sense me. Use your powers." I uttered with a brittle voice while bearing the frost.

"R... Riolu, I know you can sense me. Use your powers." I repeated with a much more brittle voice.

"R... Riolu, I know you can sense me. Use your powers." Riolu was able to receive my message through my aura. He felt relief after hearing my voice in his head, but also felt worried for my brittle voice.

"Kalem... where are you?" Riolu closed his eyes and stood in the middle of the storm. The wind which blew upon him was nothing compared to his willingness. The snow which falls upon him was nothing compared to his eagerness to seek me.

Riolu was seeing the world, with his eyes closed. He could detect the nearby auras. One of those auras, he was familiar with. It served as a hint and indication.

"I found you Kalem! I'm coming." Riolu beamed with relief and joy. He gushed as fast as he could through the frosty terrain. He was able to carry the burdens of the storm. No matter how strong the enemy was, Riolu's eagerness was unstoppable.

"Hang in there Kalem, I'm also there!" Riolu shouted while gushing through the ice.

"Riolu... please respond, please." My body felt weaker. My legs couldn't bear the coldness anymore, so I knelt down. My only hope left is through our auras. It is the only way for me to seek out Riolu.

"Kalem, don't give up! I'm almost there!" Riolu begged. He could sense the burden I was carrying. My body was about to give up and that's when I heard Riolu's voice.

My eyes slowly twitched while my sight became blurred. I could see a blue blob heading towards me, I was certain for sure that it was Riolu.

"Riolu!" I shouted one last time.

"Kalem, I'm sorry... I'm sorry I left." Riolu gushed to me with tears falling off his eyes. He jumped and hugged my cold and brittle body.

"Riolu... please forgive me. I am the reason why our connection has been cut. Please forgive me." I uttered with a brittle voice. My body was turning pale, while my hands shivered while touching Riolu's face.

"We can talk about this later, come on, we have to seek shelter right away." Riolu helped me walked through the snow and icy terrain. I held his hands and he held mine, our hearts were in sync, and the power of one has begun.

Riolu was able to find another cave. He leaned my body on the boulder, he went outside once more to gather sticks and stone. Riolu made a small campfire. He made sure that my body was feeling warm and fuzzy.

"Th... thank you Riolu," I uttered with a shivering smile. I rubbed my hands together which gave me extra warmth. Riolu went on my lap and leaned his head unto my chest. We watched other wild Pokemons rushing in for shelter as well.

"I am sorry, Riolu. I've been blinded by power. Now I see, that there is no such thing as an unbreakable bond, only a stable one. For a trainer could argue against his Pokemon, but by the end of the day, they'll be best friends." I apologized while rubbing Riolu's head.

"Kalem, I am sorry too. I, I shouldn't have run. I shouldn't have infuriated in front of you. I want to tell you the truth..."

"Truth? What truth?"

"All this time... I did not evolve not because I didn't want, but because I was scared. I was scared to change into something. I was scared to be something I'm not used to.

I fear that when the time comes, and I evolve, you would hate me for my looks. I want to evolve, that is the truth, but my fear to change, was really absurd. I couldn't accept change, because I was afraid of your reaction." Riolu explained while gazing at the flames.

"Riolu... no matter how you look, I will still love for who you are. A little change won't hurt anyone. I didn't know that you were scared, if only you told me, we could remove that fear right away. Change isn't always bad, because through change our lives develop and improve, through change, we grow more powerful, and closer. A leap of faith, that's all you've got to do." I encouraged while my eyes gazed at the flames. I slowly rubbed Riolu's head while remembering the song my mother used to sing to me and Riolu.

"Do you think, mother could be correct?" I questioned while singing the song on my head.

"Correct about what?"

"Remember the song my mother used to sing to us before she become a busy person? I was wondering if it's true, our hearts could combine to beget the power of one."

"Of course, I believe in the power of one. One mind, one soul, and one heart singing one song." Riolu smiled while holding my lap.

"Life can be challenging, life can be impossible, it's never easy when so much is on the line... but you can make a difference. With courage you can set things right. The gift to dream and to make dreams real, is yours and mine.

The power of one begins from believing, it starts in the heart, then flows through the soul and changes the world..." I sang mother's song solemnly while looking at the flames. Riolu felt joy in his heart while I sang the lullaby. The wild pokemons also tuned and listened to the hymn.

"Imagine how life would be if we stand in unity each of us holds the key to the power of one." I continued to sing. I noticed that Riolu fell asleep again on my lap just like how he sleeps every time mother sings to me and him.

"*Yawns* Kalem, I will be with you forever. Nothing can separate us." Riolu opened his eyes and gave me a large and deep yawn. His smile comforted me as our memories came back to us.

I held Riolu's hand while giving him a pleasant smile. He started to glow as a mystic veil surrounding him for one last time.

"Each of us is chosen, there's a mission just for you. Just look inside you'll be surprised what you can do." I sang solemnly while holding Riolu's hand. Riolu tried his best not to hesitate to evolve. His fear was calmed by the soothing music in the air.

"The power of one begins with believing. It starts in the heart, flows through the soul, and changes the world. Imagine how life would be if we stand in unity, each of us holds the key to the power of one." I sang solemnly. Tears fell from me and my evolving Riolu's eyes. The tears met and combined, forming a twinkle on the ground. Riolu would shiver with fear, but I was there to comfort him. I held his hand tightly, while he accepts his new form.

"That's it Riolu... that's it. don't let fear cut the rope. Don't let fear interrupt." I comforted.

"The power of one begins with believing. It starts in the heart, flows through the soul, and changes the world. Imagine how life would be if we stand in unity, each of us holds the key to the power of one." Once more, I sang the chorus. It gave me and my evolving Riolu new hopes for the future.

"The power of one..." Riolu's last words before evolving echoed to my mind.

<Rio... Rio... Lucario!>Riolu was able to face his fear to change. He evolved into a Lucario.

Lucario is a bipedal, canine-like Pokémon, with fur that is predominantly blue and black. It possesses a short, round spike on the back of each forepaw, in addition to a third on its chest. It has red eyes, a long snout, and ears. Lucario can understand human speech, and have been reported to communicate with humans through telepathy.

"Buddy, you did it! You evolved." I stood up and hugged Lucario. My eyes flowed with tears and pride. Seeing my Pokemon evolve, I felt happy and blissful.

"Kalem... do I sound like a Riolu?" Lucario questioned.

"Of course you do! Even if you changed, you'll always be my Riolu." Our tears flowed down at each other. Lucario hugged me tightly as our auras strengthened and united.

Riolu was able to conquer his fear. From Riolu, to Lucario, I am happy for my Pokemon. Now, it is time for the storm to settle before returning to my friends. The power of one begins with believing. It starts in the heart, flows through the soul, and changes the world. Imagine how life would be if we stand in unity, each of us holds the key to the power of one.

There is no such thing as an unbreakable bond, this is what I learned from my experience. People and Pokemon experiences problems, arguments, and assertions. Bonds may break, but you can always build them back up. You can always rise together with your Pokemon...